2007-Annette's Maintenance Lessons-2007

It has been almost 4 years of maintaining my weight loss. This April 10, 2007 will be my 4th anniversary of maintaining. I will continue to jot down and share my lessons/observations. It continues to be a learning process and I am continuing to learn new things just about every day.

I first began writing my maintenance lessons/observations in 2005 and there are “Sticky” threads in this "Maintainers Hall of Fame" with my previous observations for both 2005 and 2006. This 2007 thread is a continuation of my observations. Some lessons may be a restatement of a principle, only with a different twist. Sometimes expressing a concept with different words or from different angles makes it easier for me to fix it firmly in my heart and mind and then it makes it easier for that lesson to become a beneficial behavior that I’ll practice on a regular basis. So, you all bear with me, okay. (lol) :lol:


January 2007

I believe maintenance is pretty much the same as losing; the issues are very similar, but the only difference is your trying to stay the same (within a range) instead of losing. We're all on the same journey, just at different places on the road of a lifelong journey. :)

Celebrate your successes (achievement, attainments, accomplishments, victories, triumphs) and learn from your setbacks (hindrances, delays, hold ups, slow downs, obstructions, impediments, barriers, obstacles, encumbrances, difficulties)

There are many examples of people who lose and maintain weight, and we can use them as examples. By that statement I mean that we will learn things from successful maintainers that we may be able to use and benefit us personally. But, we all with the Holy Spirit guidance have to diligently find our own way to victory. :)

Avoiding problems, situations and issues that needed to be dealt with only got me further in the weight management hole. So now I’m dealing with the weight management issues one at a time and little by little, without self-condemnation and now I’m having greater success.

I think it’s important to be honest and truthful with God and yourself. I try to remind myself that whether I write it down or remember accurately how much I ate or exercised, it doesn't change the truth, because the scale or my waistband will tell the truth eventually if I don't!

JOHN 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

PSALM 25:5
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

PSALM 51:6
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

February 2007

I’d rather live in the truth. :)

March 2007

Sometimes I eat when I feel stressed, but I have found out if I’m not really hungry food won’t fix the situation. In fact, it makes it worse because I ate more than what I had planned and I then must deal with the feelings of guilt and disappointment.

I try to say to myself, when I want to reach for something unplanned, “I can eat it some other time—it’s not like this is my last meal or only opportunity I will ever have and if that fails I put it in the freezer or throw it away. :)

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Thomas A. Edison

Telling yourself that you’ll get back on track at some specified later time frame rarely works. It usually sets you up for more setbacks. So, after some planning, just get back on track right away. :)

Get back on track within the next meal, snack or etc…don’t wait until tomorrow, because the tendency is to continue eating off plan for the rest of that day—digging a deeper hole. So, get right back on track the very next meal. :)

PSALM 22:3-5
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

April 2007

Instead of staying overly focused on what you should not eat or limit stay focused on the end results and improvements. :)

Don’t quit when the going gets rough.

James 5:11
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Don’t talk negatively to yourself and/or about yourself.

PSA 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

:god: ALL

May 2007

Didn’t post any lessons this month, because busy determining how many calories I could eat. :)

June 2007

I have learned one major lesson this month, concerning maintenance and life in general, and I think that the scriptures in proverbs best describes it:

PROVERBS 21:29,3
29 A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways.
3 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

In all that I do, I must examine and consider thoughtfully my ways, not only in maintenance, but also in my everyday decisions. I must seek the Lord for guidance and help with every step I take and every decision that I make. Also if I see danger, for instance a trigger food (situations and people) I will need to take precautions, either by minimizing exposure to it or avoiding it altogether. I am sure we all have danger zones in our weight loss journey, but we must learn how to handle these danger zones so that we safely get through them, and reach the goals the Lord has for us.

:god: ALL

July 2007

Prayerfully, set realistic weight goals. :)

God loves us very much and he is helping, teaching and encouraging us to overcome any and every situation with His wonderful Word, His leading and guiding and through prayer.

PSALM 143:10
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Be spiritually and mentally prepared to face temptations and have a plan to overcome them.

Be spiritually and mentally prepared to face obstacles and setbacks, knowing with the wisdom of God, planning, and discipline you will have the victory over them. :)

~More Than Conquerors~
ROMANS 8:28-39
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

:god: ALL


August 2007

Don’t say you can’t do it, because Philippians 4:13, says I can do everything through him who gives me strength. :)

Don’t speak negatively about yourself, but speak the positive things that the Word of God says about you, because the Bible says you are blessed. :)

JAMES 5:11
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

The Lord is always there to help us when our primary goal is to please Him. :)

2 CORINTHIANS 5:9
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

:god: ALL

September 2007

Don’t ignore your slip-ups—acknowledge them, consult the Lord for the way to get out of trouble and do something about it right away. Take immediate corrective action.

JAMES 5:13
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

We might have times when it seems we are suffering or having hard times and difficulties with our weight loss/maintenance but we know we will soon see the good results of our hard work in the same way that a caterpillar struggles to get out of its cocoon to turn into a beautiful butterfly. :)

ROMANS 8:18
For I reckon that sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.

It doesn't make sense to make a year(s) investment in weight loss to just throw it away with bad habits. Maintenance is about protecting your investment. :)

GALATIANS 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

:god: ALL

October 2007

I believe weight loss statistics can be useful, but I think it is important that we don't let them influence our attitude or determination to fulfill the weight loss goal that the Lord has for us. :)

PROVERBS 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

JEREMIAH 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

:bless:

November 2007

Although we encounter emotional highs and lows during our weight management journey, we know that the Lord is with us to love, strengthen, and guide us. :)

JOSHUA 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

If we use weight management information and the wisdom of God to apply the information that has been provided we will make good progress and be successful.

PROVERBS 9:9-12
9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."

Continue to wholly trust in God, and follow His wisdom and not fall back on your old ways of doing things. Sometimes I fall back on my old ways of doing things, because they are in the short run quick and easy, but in the end I usually would have wasted my time and realize I should have done things God’s way. :)

PROVERBS 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

:god: ALL

December 2007


Go ahead just do what you know you need to do. Just do it. :)

When you reach your goal be happy about your body, not happy about your body or unhappy about your body because someone else is.

I’d much rather endure the feeling of sometimes being a little hungry between meals than the feeling of being overweight all the time. :)

It think it’s important to chose a maintenance weight range and an exercise routine that you are able to manage comfortably without struggling to maintain, because after all you will be doing this for the rest of your life. It’s important to enjoy your life. :)

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”(Galatians 6:9)

Have a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year!!!! :)

:god: ALL